Noah Ryan - Month 6

Here are your numbers:

WEIGHT: 18 pounds 2 ounces ( 53rd percentile)

LENGTH:  26 inches (52nd percentile)

HEAD:  45 1/2 centimeters (87th percentile)

AT SIX MONTHS YOU ARE:
-1/2 of a year old!!!  How is that even possible?!?
-Super ticklish, especially under your arms and up by your neck
-Eating solids for breakfast and dinner
-The chunkiest little baby that I ever did see - and I'm obsessed!  Keep the baby rolls coming!
-Sitting with some help - you still topple over but you are lasting longer each day
-Putting your pacifier in all by yourself (one of my favorite milestones!)
-Wearing 6-9 months and 6-12 months clothes

HEALTH

You've been pretty healthy this month with only a few minor hiccups.  You had your first temperature, it was only 99 point something and I thought for sure you were cutting your first tooth.  I kept waiting and checking your mouth and it never came.  And it still hasn't, maybe soon?  Speaking of teething - you are always soaking wet from drooling.  Every thing goes in our mouth!  Everything!  It makes keeping your neck dry a challenge and resulted in a quick visit to the doctor this past month.  A little cream, constant change of clothes, and an extra bath here and there (which you love!) and it clears right up.  We had your 6 month well check and Dr. Fink is very pleased with your progress.   You are growing and developing right on schedule.  We also had your follow up visit with urology.  The swelling cleared up on one of your kidneys and you still have a little swelling on the other, the doctor thinks with time it will heal too without any interventions.  We follow up again in 6 months.

EAT
You started eating solids this month!  You loved them at first, then boycotted them for a week straight, but now you love them again and you are eating more than ever!  We've tried bananas, pears, apples, peaches, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots and have even offered you little samples of our food (hello 3rd child!)  You make a face at pretty much every food initially, but really are disgusted by the green veggies.  I would say bananas and carrots are your current favorites.  And bread.  Give you all the bread!  You also love Mum-Mums, I don't know how I didn't know about these with your sisters!  They are basically puffs in a cracker form that you can hold easier until you master your pincer grasp and always guarantee about 20 minutes of entertainment, yes please!  I'm trying to alternate solids/nursing right now and get more into a routine.  I also just bought some formula to supplement with if I need to because I am down to just one freezer bag and that makes me a little nervous!  I don't plan on using it regularly, but would like to have it as a back up in case I'm away from you and you are hungry.

SLEEP
We are on a pretty solid sleep schedule.  You wake up every morning between 7-8am and are happy napping on the go mid-morning.  Every afternoon you take a long nap, anywhere from 2-4 hours.  Occasionally, you sneak in a quick cat nap before dinner and are ready for bed by 7pm every night.  You are still waking up 1-2 times every night to nurse, although I would be happy if you cut those out sometime soon too!  I don't even remember the last time I've had a full night's sleep.   You love finally having your room all to yourself and are a pro at putting yourself to sleep.  Most of the time if you wake up you can find your pacifier all by yourself and you quiet back down within a few minutes, which is a huge mom win in my book!

LIKES & DISLIKES
You are so curious these days and love hanging out in your excersaucer or bumbo right in the middle of the action.  You love to watch your sisters, Cooper, or even just look out the window.  You love your toys that make a crinkle sound and your O-ball is another favorite.  Playing patty-cake, peek-a-boo, and sooo big always guarantee a smile, as well as looking in a mirror.  You love to blow bubbles and babble constantly, the girls love to listen to your "stories."  You are a momma's boy at heart (I finally got one of you on my side!) but also get very excited when Daddy gets home from work.  I think you are part water baby because you would hang out in the bath tub for hours if I let you.  Right now getting your nose suctioned out and getting your face wiped off after you eat are your least favorite activities, but other than that you are a pretty happy little guy!

PERSONALITY
This past month has been so much fun, I love this baby stage where everything is new and exciting.  I love how you kick and squeal in excitement when a familiar face just enters the room and I love watching your facial expressions as you observe what is going on around you.  I love how playful you are right now and my heart explodes watching you and your sisters interact.  You think they are hilarious and they are completely obsessed with you, even when you sneak in a hair pull here and there!  I can't believe you are already 6 months old!  I feel like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little guy and we've blinked and here you are already half of a year old, I'm not sure where the time goes but it sure needs to figure out a way to SLOW DOWN!

FAVORITE MOMENTS
-We celebrated your first halloween and did all the fun activities that came along with it.  We carved your first pumpkin...and stuffed you in it (and you didn't even hate it!)  We dressed you up as a football for our neighborhood halloween party, the perfect Mickey Mouse prop for our trunk or treat at Addie and Bella's preschool, and the cutest baby bear for "Lions and tigers and bears OH MY!" for trick or treating.  It's crazy to think that by this time next year you will be running from house to house as well, hopefully in the same direction as at least one of your sisters :)
-On Saturday, November 11th you were baptized at Prince of Peace Church.  It was the same church where both of your sisters were baptized which made it extra special.  Grandma, Pap, Aunt Kristen, Uncle Brian, Carla, Leah, and Mr. & Mrs. Feola all made the trip to help us celebrate and our good friends Sarah, Marshall, Hudson, Molly, Kathy, and Rick joined in the festivities as well.  It was the perfect celebration of YOU, Noah Ryan.  

Halloween 2017

Lions and tigers and bears...OH MY!  Our family halloween costume was so easy and so much fun to put together this year. Addie was the perfect tiger "princess", Bella's roar was the perfect accessory to her lion costume, and Noah was my favorite little baby bear.  A few white t-shirts and a sharpie pen later and Eric and I joined in on the fun too.

This year we had a full day of fun on Halloween.  We started the morning at trunk or treat at Addie and Bella's school and it was the perfect way to kick off the day.  The girls were so excited to wear their costumes and it was great practice for trick or treating later on that night.  We teamed up with our neighbors and decorated our trunk as Mickey Mouse, complete with the hot dog song which was a hit with all the little ones.  After a quick non-candy lunch and afternoon naps, it was time for round 2 of halloween fun.  We had our neighbors over for an early dinner before it was time to trick or treat.  We tortured them with a few quick pictures and off we went. 

This was by far my favorite year for trick or treating.  Addie literally ran from house to house collecting candy with her buddies, she was on cloud 9!  Bella chose to hang out in the wagon with her little friend, but did still get wheeled from house to house to fill up her pumpkin full of candy, smart girl!  Noah was happy to be along for the ride even if he wasn't rewarded with candy.  After about an hour we convinced the kids it was time to head home to check out their stash.  The kids shoved their faces with as many pieces of candy as possible, the adults enjoyed some pumpkin cheesecake and hot apple cider, and we all ended the night on a sugar rush!  Halloween 2017 was my favorite yet and we are all sad that it's over, but it's only the beginning of the holiday season and there's so much more fun to come!